Connecter for connecting movable electric lines



- May 16, 1933. P. E. F. KRUGER CONNECTER FOR CONNECTING MOVABLE ELECTRIC LINES Filed Aug. 12, 1930 Patented May 16, 1933 I UNITED STATES PAUL EMIL FRANZ K'Bfi'GER, OF COPENHAGEN, DENMARK CONNECTER FOR- CONNECTING MOVABLE ELECTRIC LINES Application filed August 12, 1930, Serial No. 474,821, and in Denmark September 12, 1929.

The present invention relates to a connecter adapted to be used in cases in which parts, to be connected together electrically, are adapted to be moved relatively with great facility. Such connecters may for earample be used as intermediate members in electric conductors which must not be turned relatively as for example, in telephone 11118 8, lines for dust suction devices, electric smoothing irons and electric tools, of the type including drilling machines and the like.

In an appliance of this character, which may be used both for continuous current and for alternating current, very considerable requirements are necessary as regards the electric contact as it is absolutely necessary to avoid creating a spark. It is also desirable for the connecter to be capable of being moved easily so that the contact pressure on the supporting surface may not too high. In addition it is also des rable for the appliance to be of very small dimensions whilst not going below the lowest permissible cross sections or beyond the lowest permissible intervals between the separate parts which are under difierent voltages. Finally the appliance must be of such strong construction that it cannot be destroyed by pressure or tension stresses, which however do not include the application of force.

These various requirements which would appear contradictory are accomplished by means of the present construction which produces an easy connection, is capable of withstanding a larger electrical load than that for which it is constructed, and which is capable of withstanding heavy mechanical movement and forcible movements of the two contact parts relatively to one another, all of which may take place without creating sparks or current interruptions, it being within its province to even be included in a radio apparatus without producing audible disturbances when the appliance is being moved.

This result is obtained by means of my invention which comprises a connecter having two contact parts of which one is formed of relatively insulated discs rigidly secured to a supporting member, each. disc being electrically connected to one of the lines to be connected together and to the other contact part ofconducting spring brushes, the other contact part being formed of conducting housings, one housing for each disc, which housings surround the discs with a certain amount of free space partly filled by the brushes.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a substantially longitudinal sectional view of the connector taken on lines 11 of Figure 3.; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing certain parts on a larger scale; and Fig. 3 is a substantially transverse sectional view taken on lines 33 of Figure 1. The connecter. consists, in the form of constructionillustratively exemplified in the drawing, of an insulated pipe 1, to which are 0 be secured a number of electric current conducting discs 2. The discs 2 are connected by lines 3 following through the pi e 1.to terminal screws 4 which are'mounte on an. insulated disc 5 secured to one end of the pipe 1. The other end of the pipe is provided with an axially disposed bearing pin 7 which is rotatably mounted in a center opening in an insulated disc 6.. Adj acentthe disc 5 thepipe 1 is rotatably mounted in a second disc 8 having a center opening 9 through which the pipe 1 projects. The two discs 6 and 8 are connected together by longitudinally disposed actuately spaced connecting rods 10 corresponding in number 5 to the number of discs 2 on the pipe;1.

The rods 10 carry insulating rings 11 which are arranged side by sidein pairs and the rings of each pair are clamped together on the rods 10 by nuts 12. Between each pair of rings are clamped two shells which together form housings 13 loosely embracing the discs 2 so that a space is formed between the discs 2 and the housings 1 3. The housings 13, as shown in Fig. 3, are circular members and each has a projection 14 with a hole accommodating one of the rods 10 so that a conducting connection is formed between this rod 10 and the housing. Adjacent the other rods 10.each housing is provided with recesses 15 so that it does not come in contact with these rods and is so spaced from them that arcing between a rod and the housing 13 is not liable to occur. The housings 13 are provided with central openings, the walls of which do not approach the wall of the pipe 1 so that a space 16 is .current load which it may be called upon to carry, the contact being made with a minimum of contact pressure. In addition a large number of contact brushes (in the drawing 6 are shown) can be used to effect a contact between each housing and the corresponding disc so that there will be no possibility of a failure to maintain the contact. As will be seen in Fig. 2 the brushes 17 surround the discs 2 on both sides thereof so that the discs are not moved laterally, and contact between the housings 13 and discs 2 is not interrupted. The separate brush wires are each constructed to form a comparatively large loop which is readily pliable at its nner end bearing against the disc.

The connecter operates in the following.

manner, the one part of the lines 19 or 20 are connected to the rods 10 by means of terminal screws 21 which are secured thereto, whilst the other part of the lines 22 and 23 is connected to the terminal screws i. The electric current is then for example conducted from the line 19 through the corresponding rod 10 to one of the housings 13 and from there it is conducted by the corresponding the socket branches of the line can be plugged in directly. The connecter may be provided with any desired number of discs and housings and may be mounted in electrical apparatus or the like for example in lamp holders, dust suction devices and the like or in electrical machines either as a part of the machines themselves or as a part of their supply lines as for example in electric drilling machines or the like.

\Vhat I claim as new is:

An electrical connecter for movable electric lines comprising in combination a plurality of relatively insulated conducting discs, :1 common support for said discs, each of said discs being connected to the end of oneof said lines, and plurality of relativelyinsulated conducting housings, one thereof embracing each disc, a common support for said housings, said supports being rotatable in relation toeach other, each of said housings embracing loosely both sides of one disc and thin metallic brushes carried by the housings in the spaces between the latter and the discs and in contact with the discs, each of said housings being connected to the other end of one of said lines. I i

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature.

PAUL EMIL} FRANZ KRUGER.

brushes 17 to the corresponding disc 2 and from there through one of the lines 3 to one line 22 or 23.

It will be seen that the connecter part formed of the pipe 1 and the discs 2 is very easily rotatable relatively to the part formed of the housings. A relative axial movement of these two parts can be effected easily without interrupting electrical contact. The contact also has great resistance to mechanical strains.

The connecter may be enclosed in a casing 24 so as to prevent it from being touched.

The connecter may be used wherever it is desired to avoidbinding together electric "lines either by using the connecter as an intermediate member included in the line or by forming one part, pole (21), as a plug whilst the other part is formed as a socket so that 

